The 12th Hour Part 1
by Chiba Miouno
Summary: The Sailor Scouts join forces with the ancient gods to save Mamoru and Usagi from death by going back to ancient Rome. In the process one senshi will be sent to an adventure leads them to their destiny. With Ami/Sailor Mercury as the central force.


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CHAPTER ONE  
  
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Mizuno Ami sat outside on a glorious October day. Sitting outside one forgets themselve's in the beauty of everything around them, Ami was no different. The phone rang. Ami sat up and left the beautiful sun to go inside her dreary mansion and answer its call. She picked up the phone to hear a sobbing Mrs. Tsukino on the phone.  
  
"Ami," she cried openly. "come; Usagi is very sick. She wants all her friends to see her."  
  
"I'm coming; don't worry."  
  
This was as far as the conversation went before Ami hung up the phone and was back in the October sun; this time, she was running.  
  
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At the Tsukino residence everything that was usually fast and upbeat was somber. Mrs. Tsukino wept and Sammy was locked in his room. Ami was the first person there later entered Rei, Makoto and finally Minako and Artemis.  
  
Mrs. Tsukino spoke to them in between sobs. "Girls, Usagi wants to see you. The doctor says what she has isn't contagious. It's like she's dying; no one knows what going on."  
  
The four young ladies walked slowly up the stairs that they had ran up on so many times in the past. As they entered Usagi's room they put on the biggest mock smiles they could and tried to be brave for her sake.  
  
Mrs. Tsukino hadn't been exaggerating, Usagi had lived through the Negaverse, the NegaMoon Kingdom, the Dead Moon Circus and even Sailor Galaxia but this illness was beating her ever so slowly and painfully. The Scouts couldn't believe what they saw. Usagi was pale and her blue eyes were glassy and bleak; her usually impeccable hair was in tangles and there were dark circles under her eyes.  
  
Ami stepped forward and gave Usagi a hug. "You're going to be okay."  
  
Seventeen year-old Usagi broke down into tears. "I want Mamoru."  
  
Immediately Makoto ran downstairs and called Mamoru. Ami and Minako told jokes and rumors and funny stories about school but unfortunately, when Usagi laughed she broke into a fit of coughs that shook her bed. Luna tried to be as helpful as she could be she only drove Usagi into a fit of sneezing so she had to be taken out of the room.  
  
Makoto entered again. "Ami," she said." why don't you analyze her?"  
  
Ami nodded and took out her computer. She began to shake her head.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" That was Rei. "I can't take it any more."  
  
"It's like the bubonic plague, malaria and all the horrible diseases all in one. I don't know what to do."  
  
"Just give her the cures for those illnesses," suggested Minako.  
  
Ami shook her head. "That could be dangerous. What if one medicine only makes her worse? For example, quinine is the cure for malaria but it could just make her worse because of the part of this disease that resembles the yellow fever or the bubonic plague."  
  
Suddenly there was a commotion downstairs as it sounded like Mr. Tsukino was trying to throw someone out of his house. Minako and Rei went to investigate. They came back up with Mamoru.  
  
Mamoru immediately knelt by Usagi's side and kissed her forehead gently. He held her in his arms tenderly wiping the perspiration off her head. "What does she have, Ami?"  
  
Usagi had fallen asleep. "I think it's incurable." Ami said sadly.  
  
Looks of loss and pain floated about the room. Mamoru was devastated he began to pace about the room. "No, not Usagi..." he began, but he never finished because he collapsed on the floor.  
  
Ami quickly analyzed him. "He's got it," she whispered. "he's got the illness."  
  
Makoto ran downstairs to tell the Tsukino they had another invalid.  
  
Ami still sat in Usagi's room trying to figure out what had happened as Mrs. Tsukino appeared with Makoto and politely kicked them out of her house. Mamoru took the spare bedroom across the hall.  
  
When they were farther away from the house Rei grabbed Ami's shoulder. "Ami, what's going on; what's going to happen to them?"  
  
Ami bowed her head. "It's deadly."  
  
They all departed without saying good-bye, without even a word.  
  
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In the heavens Jupiter looked down upon them and called the gods to appear before him, Minerva, Apollo, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Diana and Cupid appeared. "It is time to stop this," Jupiter began," I want you seven to appear to the scouts. This a very important mission. The Moon Princess could die if we don't send the scouts to when this started."  
  
Venus raised her hand to speak her blue eyes and blonde hair shining. "Surely mine and Cupid's scout will be the leader of this mission since she is the leader of the inner scouts."  
  
Mars shook his head. "My scout has better leadership qualities, she will lead this time."  
  
Diana looked at Jupiter. "Our scout will be in charge because of her strength… right, Jupiter?"  
  
Jupiter shook his head at them all. "Mercury, Apollo and Minerva's senshi will be in charge this time."  
  
Mars stood up. "Is it because those three are your favorite children? Why does Mercury have two gods and a goddess for her anyway? My senshi deserves more divine intervention than she gets. Besides, Sailor Mercury isn't strong enough to lead."  
  
Jupiter sent a thunder bolt at Mars quieting him instantly. "Mercury will lead this because of her emotional strength and her knowledge of a part of our past that most would like to forget. I want you to get the scouts together tomorrow. They will need our training for this mission."  
  
Mercury, Minerva and Apollo smiled at each other from across the room. They met up at the end of the gathering. Mercury spoke first: " This is the chance Sailor Mercury deserves to prove herself totally to the others."  
  
Minerva smiled. "Its good to know I made a good investment in this scout Mercrury. When you tried to convince me to take part in this senshi buisness I thought you had gone mad." Minerva's green eyes flashed as the three siblings walked together. For once, they were getting along, they usually argued about everything, even the best things about their own Senshi and who is more her owner, Mercury, Minerva or Apollo.  
  
Mercury's blue eyes shined as he thought of Mercury being in charge, even the usually flighty Apollo's eyes danced when he heard the news. His sun blonde hair started to glow as his excitement flowed through him.  
  
Mercury created Sailor Mercury the way she was because he knew the scouts would need her. AS the was the god of travelers, thieves and merchants, he knew human nature very well. Minerva was later interested in the senshi because of her wisdom, grace and heroism, all things that Minerva was goddess of. Apollo was interested in Mercury because she wanted to be a doctor. Being the god of the sun, medicine, prophecy and archery made him powerful and Mercury and Minerva grudgingly accepted his help.  
  
Mercury put on his winged shoes and floated down to earth, he simply couldn't wait for the dawn of a new day. The sun rose as morning dawned on Juuban.  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
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Ami Mizuno awoke as the sun rose over the horizon as she usually did. She bathed, dressed and read for an hour. Today Ami had no school but she felt as if something major was going to happen, the sun was brighter, the sky was bluer and the grass was greener. Everything inside her told her that today was a day to be remembered.  
  
Ami had read on Usagi and Mamoru's disease. She could find no historical medical documents or non-historical for that matter, stating what the illness could possibly be. The fact that not only was there no cure, but there was also no name or place where the sickness could be traced drove all the Sailor Scouts mad.  
  
Ami picked up her henshin stick wondering when would be the next time she would use it. I would give anything to have Usagi and Mamoru well again, help me, Mercury. Ami sent out a silent prayer to the heavens that would be answered sooner than she thought.  
  
Suddenly a blue light entered her room, there stood a handsome man with dark brown hair and large blue eyes. Ami almost screamed but was unexpectedly enveloped with a calm. She scanned him, on his feet were a pair of winged shoes. "Mercury," she whispered.  
  
"Sailor Mercury, your friends are expecting you at Sailor Mars' temple immediately. Go and I will meet you there."  
  
As silently as he had appeared he was gone.  
  
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Minako was asleep her legs hanging over the side of her bed, her golden hair in tangles on the pillow that her arms were grasping. Artemis was on the opposite side of the bed sleeping his little crescent moon producing a little bit of light.  
  
Venus appeared in a ray of pink light and shook her head at what she saw. She snapped her fingers and Minako was up, dressed, showered and her room was clean.  
  
Venus straightened her pink empire gown and addressed Minako formally. "Sailor Venus, you're are being addressed by the goddess Venus. Good morning. You have no time to spare on basking in my light; hurry on to Sailor Mars' temple. There, you will be accompanied by the rest of the Sailor Scouts." In a flash of pink light she was gone again, leaving Minako to wonder what had just happened. No matter, she thought as she picked up Artemis, left a note for her parents and began to jog to Rei's temple.  
  
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Makoto exercised in the early morning light Sweat dripped from her face as she lifted her weights and ran in place. As she sat down to take a break and drink some water, a flash of white light appeared before her eyes.  
  
"What in the name of Jupiter?" she breathed.  
  
The white light began to form into a man with dark black hair and green eyes. He wore a crown of stars and suit of light; his eyes merrily glowed as he realized her confusion. "I am Jupiter, the King of the gods. Go to Rei's temple immediately…" He looked at her and shook his head. "…but not like that." He clapped his hands making a sound like thunder and Makoto was ready to go. Before she could thank him he disappeared.  
  
She ran down the street seeing Minako's yellow head bobbing up and down. She caught up with her and they shared their experiences once again realizing what a queer day this was.  
  
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Rei tried to meditate but this time she couldn't seem to get the chant right. Usually she could focus her whole being on the meditation but for some odd reason today she couldn't.  
  
The room began to heat up, Rei tried to stand up and go outside but a strange force held her in her place. The Sacred Mars fire began to glow more fiercely. A flash of fire appeared in front of the fireplace. It began to take on a form. A tall handsome man with black hair and eyes almost as dark stood in front of her.  
  
"Hino Rei, I am the god Mars. A meeting will be held here soon. The scouts and all their protector gods will be here; be prepared for a mission of great danger."  
  
He disappeared in a cloud of smoke as Ami entered breathless. As she set foot in the temple three forms appeared, a beautiful dark haired green- eyed woman, a handsome blonde haired blue eyed man and another handsome man Ami already knew as Mercury.  
  
The woman stepped forward and introduced herself and the others to Rei and Ami.  
  
"We are Sailor Mercury's guardians. I am Minerva goddess of wisdom, arts and crafts, war and helper of heroes."  
  
The blonde man stepped forward, "I am Apollo, god of the sun, medicine, prophecy and archery."  
  
The last man stepped forward, "I am Mercury, the messenger god, protector of the thieves, travelers and merchants."  
  
Again fire appeared in the room. "I am Mars, god of War." The flame became man and the gods parted to separate parts of the room considering their difference in opinion concerning the scouts.  
  
Minako and Makoto appeared, at the same time causing a pink light, a white light, a red light and a yellow light to appear in conjunction. Venus, Cupid, Jupiter and Diana made their presence known.  
  
Jupiter pulled Diana to the center of the room and introduced himself. "I am Jupiter, king of the gods, guardian of Sailor Jupiter."  
  
Diana glared at him and introduced herself, "I am Diana, goddess of the hunt and the Moon, I am also a guardian of Jupiter."  
  
They joined Mercury, Minerva and Apollo in a far corner of the room.  
  
Venus and Cupid stylishly walked to the middle of the room, introducing themselves to the ever-confused Sailor Scouts. "I am Venus, goddess of beauty, sexual desire, gardens and fields, I am obviously Sailor Venus' guardian."  
  
Fair-haired, green-eyed Cupid stepped up, he had wings and an arrow, but he certainly wasn't the fat little baby you usually imagine. He was about 19 and Minako and Makoto already had a crush on him. "I am Cupid, god of love and guardian of Sailor Venus."  
  
He walked over and joined Venus and Mars at the opposite side of the room. Jupiter once again strode to the center of the room and began to speak.  
  
"I have a grave mission for all of you. Let us just hope you can accomplish it or the Moon princess and the Earth Prince will die."  
  
CHAPTER THREE  
  
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The Sailor Scouts had already known that Mamoru and Usagi could die, but the fact that they could stop it had never even crossed their minds. The fact that it was a disease implanted in their heads that the problem could only be solved by modern medicine.  
  
Jupiter saw the look of confusion on the girls' faces and began to explain. "You see girls, in my day when the Romans ruled the modern world there was a man named Ademerplius. Ademer, as his friends called him, was a philosopher. He was also very interested in the works of Machiavelli. Machiavelli believed in using deceit to fool your enemies and gain wealth and power. Have any of you girls read the 'Count of Monte Cristo'?"  
  
Ami nodded but the other girls seemed like they had never heard of the book.  
  
Minerva explained the book for the girls who had never read it. "You see," she began, "The plot is that a young man has it all, great job and a beautiful fiancée. Two men wanted to destroy him, one wanted his wife the other wanted his job. He was framed for a crime and sent to jail. In jail he met a man who was a priest, who was also innocent. They made plans to escape but the priest died. Thankfully, the priest didn't die before he told the innocent man where his treasures were. The first man escaped and found the money. He turned himself into the Count of Monte Cristo and soon got revenge on his enemies.  
  
"A similar thing happened to Ademerplius he was framed for a murder. Ademer sold his soul to get revenge on his adversaries. After this, he was tortured with visions of the past and saw Queen Serenity and the Moon Kingdom. A change came over him when he sold his soul; he became evil and wanted everyone who was happy to suffer as he had. Seeing that Queen Serenity sent you into the future, he cursed the Moon princess and the Prince so that the planet would never be saved. The sickness that Usagi and Mamoru have is a disease from hell, it cannot be cured by earthly things."  
  
Makoto smiled too openly. "So you're going to send us back in time to stop this guy from selling his soul. Simple."  
  
Venus rolled her eyes. "Not that simple, because you can't use your powers."  
  
The scouts were astonished, their powers were all they had. Why couldn't they use them?  
  
"You see scouts," said Mars. "Your powers weren't developed then. You can't use them or it will send everything in this world into a time warp. And don't think this will be easy, we don't know which god is behind this. If it is a god then they will know that you are going back in time and you will have to stop them before stopping Ademerplius."  
  
"All this, without our powers," gulped Minako; she, along with the other scouts, had turned pale at the simple thought.  
  
Rei spoke up hopefully, "Who will lead this mission?"  
  
Minako gave her a dirty look. "I'm the leader, remember?"  
  
Jupiter quieted them with one glance. "Sailor Mercury will lead this mission because of her cunning and knowledge of history she also has the most control of her emotions which will serve her later in the mission."  
  
"Me?" squeaked Ami.  
  
Minako and Makoto smiled and congratulated her while Rei sat quietly.  
  
Jupiter clapped his hands. "Well, let us give our gifts."  
  
Cupid and Venus stepped forward and gave Venus a necklace with a piece of a beautiful shell on it. "This is a piece of the shell that I came out of the sea from," said Venus. "With it, you can charm anyone and sweet-talk your way into anything, the only people it won't work on are gods so if someone won't listen to you and they pull on their ears it's one of us in disguise. If they don't pull their ears it's the traitors and you must tell them you know that they are gods. Then Sailor Mercury must intervene."  
  
Jupiter and Diana were next. "Sailor Jupiter, these earrings will double your fighting abilities one-hundred fold for this mission, your senses will be clearer and your strength will be doubled also." Jupiter turned to the rest of the scouts. "Never take these off or you will be the way you are now."  
  
Mars produced a red silk ribbon from his hand and gave it to Rei. "This ribbon will increase your Shinto powers, you'll be able to teleport also."  
  
Mercury, Minerva and Apollo each had separate gifts for Sailor Mercury. Minerva went first. "I not only increase your knowledge but if ever a scout is…" She cleared her throat. "…eliminated, you will gain their power."  
  
Apollo went next, "I give you the power to heal any wounds. Unfortunately, if a scout is hurt by a god, this will not work." He hesitated and looked at Jupiter. When Jupiter nodded an ivory and gold pair of bow and arrows appeared in his hands. "You now have the ability to hit whatever target you wish. These arrows have Hinds Blood on them. If you come across a god that doesn't know the code it may kill them, but I have put on only enough to hurt them so badly that they will have to confess if they want any help from Aesculapius the other god of medicine or I."  
  
Finally Mercury presented Ami with her last gift. He smiled as he gave them to her. "These are an exact copy of my winged shoes." A beautiful pair of silver sandals sat on Ami's lap. "I want to give this, too." He handed her a beautiful blue silk and silver trim cloak. "It not only can make you invisible, but it also matches the sandals." He smiled weakly and Ami gave him, Apollo and Minerva hugs of gratitude.  
  
Jupiter once again clapped his hands. "No time for emotion. You will be placed in Rome. You have the task of finding Ademerplius. It would be nice if you would find the traitor gods so we could set them straight also."  
  
Makoto raised her hand. "What if we die?"  
  
Mars answered this question. "If you all die all is lost. Once you finish the mission you will automatically come back. If even one of you lives to finish the mission you will all be risen and sent back here."  
  
"Remember Sailor Mercury, you are in charge." Said Jupiter.  
  
All the gods touched their foreheads as a mighty glow enveloped the room. The scouts felt as if they fading, then flying, then they heard Jupiter's voice. "Oh, and children, you must come back before the 12th hour of the the 3rd day."  
  
After the voice, all was black.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
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The Sailor Scouts landed with a plop at the bottom of a hill. Ami sat up and noticed that Minako and Rei were still lying down while Makoto was dusting herself off.  
  
They were each in different outfits. Ami now wore a light blue long tunic. Her cloak was over her shoulders and her silver sandals were on her feet. Makoto wore a light green tunic was shorter than Ami's; it came up to a little above the knee. Makoto also wore brown sandals that reached almost to her knee. Rei wore a plain white tunic much like Ami's but in more of a priestess fashion, with most of it slung over one shoulder. She wore matching white sandals and a red cloak. Minako wore a more aristocratic long beige silk tunic with brown sandals.  
  
"Makoto," said Ami. "We have to think of a story to tell people about where we are from. "  
  
"Where are we from is something we can start with, but we can't just have our usual names, can we?" Makoto and Ami pondered this last comment as Rei and Minako sat up.  
  
Ami nodded. "You're right, Makoto. Minako," she said turning to her. "You are now Mina and you are from Thebes which is in Greece. Judging by your outfit you are a tax collector's wife. Rei, you are from Corinth in Greece and you work in the temple of Zeus, your name can still be Rei, but if we ever have to spell it, it will be R-A-Y-E. Makoto, you are from Sparta which is also in Greece your name will be Litta."  
  
For the first time Ami studied her own outfit. "I guess I'm a scholar from Athens, Greece. I'll also spell my name differently, A-M-Y instead of the usual A-M-I. If they ask how we met say that we were traveling to Rome, found that we were all from the Greek sector of the empire and began to become friends."  
  
"Where are we?" asked Minako.  
  
"I believe that we are at the base of the hill that is Rome," said Ami. "If I remember correctly, Rome was built on top of a hill for defensive purposes."  
  
"So we go up?" asked Rei, finally getting into the spirit of the mission.  
  
"Let's go," said Ami.  
  
The hill was large and steep but the girls found a path and struggled up the hill with Makoto in the lead because of her supernatural strength. As they reached the top, Ami judged that it was midday, she didn't forget Jupiter's words about the 12th hour of the 3rd day. They had three days to finish their mission. Ami just hoped it would be enough.  
  
Three soldiers stood guard at the top of the hill, guarding the entrance to Rome. Ami dug into her pocket for papers of some kind but found none. She only found some currency. "Check your pockets for papers of identification of some sort."  
  
All the girls could find was money and Rei found her ribbon so she tied it around her wrist.  
  
Minako held her necklace, "I'll take this one," she said. She walked right up to the soldiers and in her sweetest voice said, "we'd like to enter the city."  
  
"Do you have any papers?" he asked gruffly.  
  
"No," said Minako sweetly. "but you can still let us enter. You see, we're from Greece, and we traveled a long way to get here, and it wouldn't be nice if you didn't let us in. "  
  
Immediately, the man opened the gate, and as Ami walked past one of the soldiers he tugged his ear and disappeared.  
  
"I didn't know the language he spoke and he still understood me." She looked down at the coral necklace warm on her chest. "I suppose it's one of the effects of this necklace."  
  
Rei's eyes flashed, "I sense a crowd," she whispered.  
  
"So?" said Makoto.  
  
"Crowds mean a celebration or a trial," said Rei, her eyes darkening. "Let's go see."  
  
They walked through the city following Rei's 6th sense. Her eyes closed, Rei walked on the stone pavement without faltering, as if a hand guided her to an unknown destiny.  
  
The crowd had gathered at a large house "Ademerplius," they chanted. Roman soldiers dragged a man, who looked about 30, out of the house. He kicked and screamed at the relentless treatment but the guards refused to let him be.  
  
"I'm innocent," he cried, "this is a great injustice. Take them," he pointed at two men and a woman snickering in a corner. "They are the ones." Finally, a Roman soldier slapped him to silence him. The angry mob simply followed the soldier yelling curses and spitting at Ademerplius.  
  
Ami ran ahead grabbing Makoto's hand, who in turn grabbed Minako's hand, who grabbed Rei's hand. Ami ran until she found a townsperson who looked half-sober. "What is this man charged with?"  
  
"Treason," answered the townsperson. "I don't believe he did it. though."  
  
"Why?" asked Ami. "The rest of the crowd is ready to condemn him to death."  
  
"The crowd is always willing to watch someone to die so that they may be entertained, guilty or innocent, besides something just tells me... " he trailed off and then followed the crowd, leaving Ami to her thoughts.  
  
There was nothing to do but follow the crowd and see where it went. The crowd stopped at a large building, huge in fact. Out stepped a powerful looking official. He silenced the crowd by raising his hands. "People of Rome," he began. "What is the charge against Ademerplius, the philosopher?"  
  
"Treason! Treason! Against our fair empire, treason!"  
  
"He will be held in jail until the trial at this time tomorrow."  
  
"Traitor, traitor!" The official simply walked back into his palace and left the crowd to their own thoughts.  
  
"Who was that?" asked Minako  
  
"That was the emperor, Ceasar Agustus." Answered Ami, she didn't know how she knew but something gave it away, a small detail about the crowd.  
  
It was about three o'clock and the sun's rays were starting to dwindle. Rei's stomach growled. She smiled. "Don't think I'm like Usagi, it's just that I didn't have breakfast."  
  
Ami smiled as the rest of the girls laughed. "It just reminded me of the fact that we have to set up camp until tomorrow. It has to be after the trial that he sells his soul."  
  
A woman walked up to the Sailor Scouts and asked them to follow her. She tugged on her ears and motioned them to enter a building. Once they entered she introduced herself.  
  
"I am Viviana, and this is my home. You all look very tired. Why don't you bathe, we have a wonderful system of aqueducts here in Rome. Who would like to go first?"  
  
Ami knew that Minako's and Rei's powers wouldn't work on this woman, but pondering things more deeply she thought that perhaps this was the traitor god so she didn't dare step forward. Ami held Minako back thinking that she would be the least likely to think this deeply. Rei stepped forward and smiled saying, "I need a bath."  
  
The woman led Rei away to a separate room then the scouts heard a scream.  
  
"Rei," the girls yelled in unison.  
  
They ran into the room only to find Rei on the floor and the woman laughing. Makoto fought Viviana with zeal but the woman simply laughed at each punch that hit her. It was as if she was unstoppable.  
  
I need to do something, Rei is dying. Ami tried to heal her but it wouldn't work.  
  
Ami wished for her arrows and they appeared in her hands. She pulled on out. The gold shined in the light and the ivory felt cold in Ami's shaking hands. She picked up the bow while the woman was still busy with Makoto.  
  
"Move away Makoto!" Ami cried.  
  
Her bow in position, she shot. Her aim was straight and true. It hit Viviana square in the head. Her feet buckled and she fell to the stone floor. Viviana changed forms. She was no longer a beautiful woman, but an extremely ugly man.  
  
"It's Vulcan," said Ami. "The god of fire."  
  
Vulcan disappeared in a flash of red light. The girls ran to Rei who was still in critical condition. "Don't trust anyone," she whispered. "Finish the mission."  
  
She, in turn, disappeared; the only thing she left behind was her ribbon which automatically slipped onto Ami's wrist.  
  
CHAPTER FIVE  
  
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The morale of the Senshi plunged into an abyss of icy coldness as they left Hino Rei at the house. After leaving her there, the house disappeared leaving behind nothing to remember Sailor Mars with.  
  
Ami suddenly understood what always went on in Rei's head. Of course she was mean to Usagi sometimes, because she understood that Usagi could do better if she really wanted to. Because of Rei's disposition, she felt frustrated by the fact that Usagi was a clumsy bimbo because she chose to be.  
  
Ami shivered as a chilling feeling swept through her body. She pointed her finger at a common where she suddenly sensed the presence of people. "There," she said to Minako and Makoto. "We can stay there."  
  
Minako, Ami, and Makoto walked to the green. It was the center of life for the city and many travelers had come to rest on its green grass. Makoto found a nice spot to sit under a massive tree. The shade kept away the hot afternoon sun's rays away from the three senshi. A gruff man approached Ami, he swaggered as he bent down to talk to her. Ami sensed a fight coming and looked to Makoto to be prepared.  
  
"Move," he said.  
  
Ami raised her eyebrows and gulped back the fear that was placed in her. She realized this was what she was made leader for, because of her ability to put on a facade.  
  
"Is that a suggestion or an order?" she asked.  
  
He rolled his eyes and began to look impatient. "Listen, you move and I'll leave you alone."  
  
"What if we said no?" said Minako, stepping up to him.  
  
This time his face became dark as he looked Minako over. "You rich aristocrats and you scholars think you own the world 'cause the emperor likes you best. Well that's gonna change…" He looked over his shoulders at two other men. " …right boys? We don't mind hitting ladies."  
  
Makoto stepped up to her full height, "Well, we Spartan women don't mind hitting men."  
  
He laughed. "You're from Sparta—oh please, they used to rule Greece; now look at them."  
  
Makoto faked anger. "You bastard." She hit him with her best shot sending him sprawling across the green. She turned away thinking she was done when two of his friends emerged form the crowd.  
  
Ami sensed the danger. "Watch out!"  
  
Makoto turned around in time to severely injure the idiots who had tried to attack her. "Anyone else?" she inquired. The busybodies who had been watching the fight now turned, ever so slowly, back to their duties.  
  
"Wow," said Makoto, "that kicked ass."  
  
"Literally," said Ami and Minako in unison, and they all sat down to enjoy what little shade they had under their tree.  
  
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Night approached the party and by this time they were really starving. Makoto looked pale as a ghost and Minako had tried to stop her stomach from rumbling long ago.  
  
"This is ridiculous," said Ami. "don't we have money?"  
  
They checked their pockets but it was gone. "It must have been stolen at Vulcan's house." The group went silent at the remembrance of their friend's passing.  
  
"I have an idea for once," said Minako while staring up to the crescent moon in the sky. " I'll charm some food out of some people, and..."  
  
"That would be like stealing," said Makoto. "Ami, why don't you consult the Mars fire?"  
  
"I don't know I'm not Rei, I don't know how to."  
  
"'Course you do," said Makoto. "I'll start it and with that ribbon you can't fail. I'll be ready in half an hour."  
  
"I can't..." Ami began to say, but was cut off when Minako said, " You're the leader, remember?"  
  
"I guess I am."  
  
Makoto did have a fire ready in half an hour. Ami's palms were sweaty as she sat down in front of the fire the way she had seen Rei so many times.  
  
"I call upon the power of Mars," Ami said, some shakiness in her voice. "Oh, Sacred Fire, what shall we do?"  
  
Ami's eyes flashed open. Ami saw a handsome man in winged shoes, he kissed her cheek and a woman gave bread to her and her party. "Thank you, Mercury and Ceres, goddess of grain."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Minako but remembering the same look in Rei's eyes once, she backed off and ate her share of the bread.  
  
"That was freaky, I don't know how Rei does that all the time. It gives me chills." Ami said shivering.  
  
Makoto yawned. "It's time to turn in. 'Night."  
  
Ami made herself as comfortable as she could. "Good night."  
  
Minako stood up. "I've got to go use the bathroom... I mean, whatever they have to use right now. But for now, good night."  
  
Minako turned her back on the group.  
  
"VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!" 


End file.
